West India Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra

10th-25th January 2015

Leader: Frank Lambert

Participants: Eleanor Babij, Jan-Joost Bouwman, Terry Doyle, Kathy O’Reilly-Doyle,

Steve Kornfield, Peter Maaskant, Jonas Starck, Krister Wahlstrom.

Forest Owlet, Melghat © Frank Lambert / Birdtour Asia

West India supports a large number of increasingly rare subcontinent endemics that rely on diminishing areas of natural grasslands and thorn scrub in the arid parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Some of these species face an

uncertain future and are increasingly difficult to find. This tour targeted these species as well as some key birds in adjacent wetter areas, such as the enigmatic Forest Owlet, in Maharashtra. We managed to obtain excellent views of all of the specialties of the region that we looked for, including such alluring species as the Critically Endangered Great Indian Bustard, which we tracked down after considerable effort, as well as Stoliczka’s Bushchat and White-naped Tit. West India also supports huge numbers of wintering birds, in particular raptors and waterbirds, of which we saw plenty, and rarer species such as Hypocolius and Macqueen’s Bustard, both of

which gave us outstanding views. Although we recorded just 298 species this included many memorable species such as White-bellied Minivet, White-naped Tit, Indian Spotted Creeper, Green Avadavat, Painted Sandgrouse, Indian Courser, Yellow-eyed Pigeon, five species of vulture, Pallid Scops Owl, Mottled Wood Owl,

Sykes’s Nightjar and to finish off, the Critically Endangered Forest Owlet. As well as the birds, we had some

impressive mammals such as India’s most beautiful antelope, the Blackbuck, and the nocturnal Indian Giant Flying Squirrel. Overall, this was a highly successful trip and a most memorable visit to one of India’s most exciting and popular birding destinations.

We were all happy to meet up in Delhi on-time for our first excursion, to the famous wetlands of Sultanpur, a short distance from Delhi’s much appreciated new airport. The thick fog, however, made it difficult to find many of the birds we were looking for, and upon arrival we found that the reserve was in fact been closed.

Nevertheless, despite these setbacks, we managed to find both of our main targets here - Sind Sparrow and Brooke’s Leaf Warbler. Other birds of note here included some nice Black-rumped Flamebacks and Ashy Prinias, along with some of the commoner birds that would become familiar to us during the following couple of weeks. By 10am we were in our comfortable, spacious bus for the long drive to Tal Chappar, through the monotonous, dusty, rubbish-strewn flat countryside that dominates this part of India.

Desert Wheatear and Cream-coloured Courser, Desert National Park © Frank Lambert

The following morning we were birding an area of Acacia’s near Tal Chappar not long after dawn, stopping briefly to see our first of many Blackbuck – one of India’s most beautiful larger mammals. Here we quickly found some interesting birds, including our main target here, Indian Spotted Creeper, which this year only took some 15 minutes to locate. This increasingly rare and localized species gave us unprecedented views as it fed

in the crevices of an old, gnarled Acacia trunk. Other birds in the area included our first Indian Bushlark, Desert and Isabelline Wheatears, Bay-backed Shrikes, Red-collared Doves, White-eared Bulbuls, Brahminy and Rosy Starlings. Moving on, we visited the small Tal Chappar reserve in search of grassland and open-country species. The grasslands here support numerous species, and we found plenty of interesting birds to look at, including our first Demoiselle and Common Cranes, Bar-headed Geese, Xinjiang Shrikes, Long-billed Pipits, Steppe, Tawny and Imperial Eagles, Long-legged Buzzards and three species of harrier. At least four Laggar Falcons also put on a fantastic display, a new bird for nearly all of this tour’s participants. We also had our only

Black Francolins of the trip here, with one male sitting on a fence post for a considerable period, and a rarely-seen female feeding on the track. A Jungle Cat was also seen several times, and at one point several of us saw it leap 2m into the air, fully out of the grassland, like a breaching whale, before dropping onto what was presumably some hidden bird or small mammal. The salt pans provided good views of various water-birds, including many waders that were unfamiliar to our

American participants, such as Pied Avocet, Ruff, Little Stint, Green and Marsh Sandpiper and Curlew Sandpiper. Nearby, we unexpectedly found a cooperative Indian Eagle Owl, the first of several of these magnificent birds seen on our tour. Another species of owl, Short-eared, was later seen hunting over the nearby grasslands. Leaving Tal Chappar very early the next morning, we headed to our next birding destination, near Bikaner. Here we hoped to find wintering Yellow-eyed Stock Doves, and we were not disappointed. Within minutes of

arriving we had a small flock in the scope, and during the morning we saw at least 300, a new bird for almost everyone. This is probably one of the best places in India, if not the world, to get up close to large numbers of wintering eagles and the occasionally vulture, and indeed, near the dead-camel dump we saw more large eagles than we could count (and more dogs than we’d have liked!). At least 300 birds crowded into the tops of scattered Acacia trees, whilst others perched on the ground around the tip nearby. Most of the eagles were Steppe Eagles, giving us an unparalleled opportunity to appreciate the great variation in plumages of this majestic eagle. A few Tawny and several Imperial Eagles were also present, but vultures were noted for their

absence. Ten or more years ago a site like this would have held many tens if not hundreds, or even thousands

of vultures, but after the catastrophic decline that most Indian populations of these species have suffered (more than a staggering 99.9% in the case of White-rumped Vulture) we only found a couple of Griffon and Monk Vultures at the site. A sad and enduring situation that will unlikely ever change – bringing back the vast number of vultures that once roamed the subcontinent seems like an impossibly ambitious scenario. Egyptian

Vultures, however, were present in very large numbers, as were Black Kites. From Bikaner we had a long drive to Jaisalmer and our next main destination, the famous but ever-dwindling

Desert National Park. The park is being increasingly encroached by pervasive agriculture– during the last year, irrigation projects have enabled large parts of the region to be converted from arid forest and grasslands to mustard crops. On route we managed to find some interesting birds, including our only White-tailed Lapwing of the trip, a perched group of vultures that contained both White-rumped and Monk, as well as a good number of Eurasian Griffons, and a “Punjab” Raven. Reaching Jaisalmer an hour or so before dark we were able to visit the “Fossil Park” where the dry rocky terrain supports a number of interesting birds – here we found Red-tailed

Wheatear, Desert Lark and another obliging Indian Eagle Owl, but failed to find any wintering buntings. Happy with the birds we had seen on what had been mostly a day of travel we retired to our comfortable rooms in Jaisalmer ready for an early start to the much anticipated Desert National Park (“DNP”) in the morning.

Rock Bush Quail and White-bellied Minivet, Siana © Frank Lambert When we woke in the morning we found ourselves in the midst of thick fog and strong winds, the fog now afflicting the region regularly and rumoured to be caused by the conversion of desert to irrigated fields. Driving

to DNP was therefore much slower than usual, and this combined with an hour stuck in a sand drift across the road, meant that we arrived very long after dawn in the area where Great Indian Bustards and Stoliczka’s Bushchat are most regularly seen – key target species for this area. The fog, however, was to prove to be a major frustration the entire morning, with visibility occasionally down to 100-200m, making our search for bustards (as well as other birds like Red-headed Vulture) very difficult indeed.

Finally, it became somewhat clearer, and we ventured into the grasslands on foot to search for our target species. After a couple of false-starts, Peter finally spotted a distant but magnificent male bustard, standing in full view about 800m or so away from us. In excellent spirits, after brief scope views, we approached closer, but the bird remained calm, and indeed, it simply stood there, head erect, presumably watching our approach. As we got a little closer, we scoped up the bird again, and to our great embarrassment, astonishment and frustration, we discovered that we had been deceived. Our “bustard” was made of wood!! It turned out to be a

decoy model, hoping to attract real birds that would then be photographed by a nearby camera trap. Our

elation became severe disappointment as we realized that our long efforts to see the bird were still not over. Time had passed quickly, and we returned to a nearby building for a superb Indian packed lunch. On the walk back, Jonas found the only Stoliczka’s Bushchat of our trip – it had been feeding on the ground and had he not passed close by and flushed it, it is doubtful that we would have discovered it. A superb, distinctive, long-legged chat, nothing like the Siberian Stonechats we had seen at previous locations. With dwindling time, we decided to search the area along the road from our bus, since this was a high vehicle

with very large, clear windows. Within half an hour our strategy appeared to have worked, with Jan-Joost miraculously spotting what seemed to be a real male Great Indian Bustard a km or so away. Wary of the possibility of another decoy (by now we had seen two), we scoped the bird carefully and it “seemed” to move its head slightly on one occasion, but it was hunkered behind some vegetation. To confirm our find, Frank ran 500m across the desert to another ridge top, scope in tow, to check whether our bird was indeed real, and

within minutes the rest of the group followed to a thumbs-up sign. Greatly relieved, we watched this majestic

creature from afar before approaching closer. Eventually he moved a little, and then slowly walked over the ridge top, but not before giving us fantastic views. Now we really could relax a little. During the rest of the afternoon we found a few other interesting species, such as Desert Whitethroat, Asian Desert Warbler and Punjab Raven.

The following day was also very foggy, as predicted, making birding almost impossible anywhere in the region until after 10am, by which time we were on our way towards Siena, though due to the fog and heavy traffic,

we arrived very late in the afternoon, but not too late to visit a small pond nearby where Painted Sandgrouse often visit to drink water after dark. Whilst waiting we had our first good views of a nice adult Red-breasted Flycatcher and a few shorebirds around the pond. Just before it got dark, a pair of Painted Sandgrouse suddenly flew in, silently, and landed briefly within meters of the group. As it got darker more pairs arrived, all landing directly opposite us in the fading light, but it was still bright enough to appreciate these beautifully patterned birds as they drank water less than 20m from us. Just after dark another new species appeared,

spotlighted in flight - an Indian Nightjar, briefly hawking insects in our vicinity. Afterwards we went for a night drive, and were shown yet another Indian Eagle Owl, though this time a young bird perched on an exposed outcrop and apparently waiting to be fed. The following morning we headed out early into the scenic landscape, at first visiting a mostly arable area to look for Rock Bush Quail, a species regularly seen in this area. Within less than a minute of arriving in the area one of our jeeps flushed a small group of bush quail, and we spent the next hour or so trying to track them

down. They had initially hidden in the sparse part of a hedge, but were undoubtedly crouching because nobody

saw them until they suddenly flew off and dived into even thicker cover. After an hour or so, however, Krister finally found the birds for us, feeding in full view along the edge of a field and oblivious to our presence – we watched them for 20 minutes or so through scopes before walking closer to take photos.

Rock Bush Quail and White-bellied Minivet, Siana © Frank Lambert We now moved on, initially to visit some cliffs where at least 18 Indian Vultures were perched in full view, and clearly visible now that we were out of the more foggy arid zone of the past few days. This is another of the vulture species that has declined from huge numbers to a few scattered small colonies, and rightfully now listed as Critically Endangered by conservationists. After scrutinizing the vultures for half an hour, we then drove another hour to reach our final destination of the day, an area of thorn forest. On route, one of our jeeps

first encountered a roadside Small Buttonquail, and then a perched Red-headed Falcon, yet another declining

raptor, but sadly the second jeep arrived too late to see either bird. Spreading out to maximize our search effort, we now walked slowly through the extensive area of Acacias in search for White-bellied Minivet, our main target here. Along the way we encountered good numbers of other species, including wintering Sykes’s and Eastern Orphean Warblers, Striolated Buntings, Black-rumped Flamebacks, Small Minivets, Bay-backed Shrikes and most unexpectedly an out-of-normal-range Brooke’s Leaf Warbler, feeding in the lower branches of an Acacia at close range. We continued our search until lunch

arrived, and then as the afternoon dragged on we wondered if we might miss this important target. Finally, Peter called to say he had found a male, and we all walked rapidly up a long slope to the crest of a ridge where some 5-10 minutes previously, Peter had discovered the bird. As we approached a close Shikra took flight, only 5m from Steve, carrying off its recently caught prey. A few minutes later we were at the top, and our entire group assembled only to learn that Peter had initially lost sight of the male minivet, but had

since seen it well – in the talons of the Shikra we had just passed!! This was so incredulous that none of us

wanted to believe it, but here we were, a minute or so too late to see a live White-bellied Minivet. This rather

depressing news put a dampener on further searching, but within half an hour, and with only an hour or so of good light left, Steve finally found a small group of the minivets, feeding quietly in the same area of Acacias where our tour last year had seen them, and at approximately the same time of day. All the group were able to follow this slowly moving feeding flock, until the sun was finally receding and we decided to drive back for an

early night. Leaving Siena in the small hours, we arrived at the top of Mt Abu three hours later as it was getting light, and

after a brief breakfast stop, and after watching Indian Yellow Tits beside our bus, set out to search for our main target bird, Green Avadavat. It was not long before we found a small flock, in a rather birdy and attractive rural setting of a stone-walled village. Other birds seen well here included White-spotted Fantails, Brahminy Starlings, Brown Rock-chat, Sulphur-bellied Warbler, “Southern” Coucal, and several White-capped Buntings, the last of which gave us very nice views. Leaving the top of Mt Abu, we drove down to another site where we heard but could not see Indian Scimitar-Babblers, the only species that was heard-only on this tour. Heading

on, we were now on our way to the Little Rann of Kutch, an arid, barren area now in the clutches of a serious drought making it even drier than usual – indeed, we learned that some 3,000 Lesser Flamingos had abandoned their nests and eggs during previous months due to the ensuing drought conditions.

White-eyed Buzzard, Melghat and Macqueen’s Bustard, LRK © Frank Lambert

The following morning we set off in the cold pre-dawn and arrived in the barren mud plain of the Little Rann of Kutch just after it got light. We soon started seeing birds around the edge of the vast salt pans, where there was sparse vegetation, including Long-billed Pipits, a few shrikes and wheatears, and huge numbers of Greater Short-toed Larks. Wild Asses were scattered throughout the area in small groups and during the morning we probably saw around 50 of these threatened animals, many allowing us to approach fairly close in our Safari truck. Harriers were relatively common, and we had very nice comparative views of Montagu’s and Pallid

Harriers of various ages and sexes. Searching for our key targets –Macqueen’s Bustard and Greater Hoopoe Lark – proved to be very frustrating, and by lunch time we had not found either, despite meticulous searching in their appropriate habitats. We did see a close, perched Short-eared Owl, however, and upon returning to our hotel for lunch we were very happy to find a well-camouflaged Pallid Scops Owl sleeping near one of our chalets. During the afternoon we planned to visit a nearby wetland, but first took a few detours in search of Indian

Coursers, which we had missed at other sites. We visited several areas, and at the last we finally found at least

9 coursers, feeding in a roadside field. Very happy with such excellent views of such a cool bird, we then headed towards the wetland, but were again distracted by a raptor perched on a pylon that turned out to be a very obliging Red-headed Falcon, missed previously by half the group at Siena. We finally reached the lake, with only an hour of sunlight, and found it to be teeming with birds. Both species of flamingo paraded in front of us, along with large numbers of wintering duck and smaller numbers of shorebirds. In the near distance we found both Dalmatian and Great White Pelican as well as Painted, Woolly-necked and Asian Openbill Storks,

Black-headed and Glossy Ibises and many Eurasian Spoonbills. A Greater Spotted Eagle soaring just overhead was the only one seen on the trip. As it got dark, Western Marsh Harriers drifted into the area, most of which landed on the ground around the wetlands, and in total we could see at least 70 from where we stood. After dark we searched for nightjars in the immediate area and were fortunate to find the much-wanted Sykes Nightjar and to see it at close range, followed shortly afterwards by an Indian Thick-knee perched in the lights of our vehicle.

The following morning found us back in the Little Rann, and this time we were successful in finding at least two

and probably three Macqueen’s Bustards, all of which gave us good looks on the ground. Searching for Hoopoe Larks, however, again turned up nothing, although we did have good views of some close Rufous-tailed Larks. After a brief lunch and a final look at a Pallid Scops Owl we drove westwards towards the Pakistan border, passing some interesting salt flats on the way, with plenty of waterbirds including a Black Stork, seen briefly by

Jan-Joost. Arriving in Kutch, Gujarat after dark, we had to wait until the following morning before starting our exploration of this interesting area.

Just after dawn we were waiting around the edge of a castor-oil field waiting for one of the trip’s most alluring birds to appear – Hypocolius. This species appears to have declined dramatically throughout its range but is still fairly reliable in this part of India where small numbers spend the winter, attracted in particular by the tiny berries of an indigenous tree. Within minutes of arriving our local guide located a female that gave good views before disappearing, but after another ten minutes we had found an even more confiding male in perfect light feeding on the juicy berries of its favourite tree. Feeling very satisfied, we decided to push our luck and look for

our second most important target, White-naped Tit. This involved a long drive, but we still had a couple of hours before lunch in which to search. This year, however, the tits proved to be particularly elusive, but we did find some other key species, including a colourful male Marshall’s Iora and the usually elusive Sirkeer Malkoha.

Sykes’s Lark and Hypocolius, Greater Rann of Kutch © Frank Lambert

A last minute quick search of a likely-looking bit of habitat, on our way to lunch, soon turned out to be a dash over rocky hills and down gullies as we pursued a single White-naped Tit rapidly moving down a long valley. Eventually, with only half of us having seen the bird, we had to admit defeat and take a break from searching. Following lunch we first went to an area where Sykes’s Larks regularly feed and found one within seconds of arriving, much to everyone’s surprise. We then returned to the area where we had lost the White-naped Tit, and spread out to search for the birds. Following various gulleys in the area, where many Grey-necked and a

few Striolated Buntings were feeding, along with Ashy-crowned Finch Larks, soon turned into a nightmare as we discovered that we were essentially cut off from each other by deep ravines and cliffs that we could not easily cross. When some of us eventually found a tit, ironically along the roadside, we then had to wait a nail-biting 20 minutes for the entire group to navigate the difficult terrain and thorny vegetation to get to the spot, by which time the birds had disappeared. Fortunately, however, the tits suddenly appeared again, one even flying in to perch in a bush only a few meters from most of the group, and all of us had now seen all the targets in the area. Very satisfied, we returned to our hotel for an early night after a superb days birding.

The following morning we left very early for the coast, some two hours away. Here we hoped to find a good variety of species along a beach that sometimes supports such notable species as Crab Plover and Great Thick-knee. As we arrived we immediately found a good variety of gulls, including Slender-billed, Heuglin’s and Steppe Gull, feeding in close proximity to our vehicles. We then sloshed our way across some intervening mudflats to the harder sand beyond, where we were soon watching plenty of interesting birds, including Lesser Crested Tern, Eurasian Curlew, Whimbrel, Sanderling, Terek Sandpiper, sandplovers and flamingos. The sky

was darkening alarmingly quickly however, and we now had to make a very rapid dash back across the deep mud to our vehicles as a horrendous storm approached. We narrowly avoided a complete soaking, but the storm soon passed and we headed along the 2-3km of beach in pursuit of other birds. Crab Plovers were nowhere to be seen, but we saw plenty of other good birds here, including at least 15 Great Thick-knees – new for almost everyone (unlike Crab Plover, as it turned out), and small numbers of longipes Eurasian Oystercatchers. As we walked back to our jeeps along the beach we saw a small group of Indo-Pacific

Humpback Dolphins offshore, occasionally breaching the surface to breath. Returning to our hotel for a late

lunch, we then headed out to a large lake that is usually a superb birding location. We were dismayed to find, however, that instead of 30,000 Eurasian Coots and numerous ducks on the lake, the water had receded to such an extent that there was not a single coot present and no more than a handful of duck. The lake was so shallow that shorebirds were feeding near the centre. The effects of the drought now

became much more obvious to us, although the water must have receded relatively recently because the mud around the 500m edges was still impossible to traverse some 300m from the edge of the water. This made it difficult to ascertain which species of small waders were now present at the lake, but most of them seemed to

be Little Stints and Kentish Plovers, which both numbered in the very high hundreds or even low thousands. On previous late afternoon trips to this lake our tours have witnessed tens of thousands of Common Cranes flying into the area of the lake to roost there, but on this occasion the cranes were already present, feeding in huge flocks all around the periphery of the lake and in numbers that could not be counted. Presumably this was one of the only areas in which they could easily find food – the nearby grasslands that usually support a wintering group of Sociable Plover and occasional Macqueen’s Bustard was on this occasion reduced to a very

extensive area of almost barren mud, presumably through a combination of over-grazing and drought. For the final part of our trip we flew to Nagpur and headed on by car to Amravati, arriving at our pleasant hotel in the evening, and the following morning continued on our journey to Melghat Tiger Reserve. We arrived not long after dawn, and were soon on our way to look for the poorly-known Forest Owlet, a species very high on the list of target birds to any birder visiting this region. The owlets took some time to find, but once found we had prolonged views of one. It seemed to be hunting, sitting fairly low in a tree from which it was continuously

scanning the ground below, whilst keeping a wary eye on us, some 25m away.

During the remainder of the day we birded in various localities, picking up a few good species at each spot. Large, roaming bird flocks are very much a feature of these forests at this time of year, and each time we found a flock we were able to spend a considerable time searching through the birds. These mixed bird flocks produced a diversity of interesting species such as White-bellied, Greater Racket-tailed and Ashy Drongos, Yellow-fronted, Indian Pygmy and Black-rumped Woodpeckers, Indian Yellow and Grey Tits, Oriental White-

eyes, Velvet-fronted Nuthatches and Grey-headed Canary Flycatchers, whilst nearer the ground we watched Grey-breasted Prinias, Jungle Babblers, Black Redstarts and Sulphur-bellied Warblers. A couple of male Tickell’s Blue Flycatchers were seen well in the understory. White-eyed Buzzards, fairly common in this area, were also encountered several times during our stay, and a Coppersmith Barbet gave us unparalleled views in the low canopy.

Indian Wild Ass, Little Rann of Kutch © Frank Lambert / Birdtour Asia During lunch we found White-browed Wagtails on the river near our accommodation, and some people had

brief views of Indian Grey Hornbill. In the late afternoon we started birding in the hills above our accommodation, where we found a skulking Puff-throated Babbler, unfortunately not seen by all, followed by a stunning male Ultramarine Flycatcher that we were able to watch at close range as it flitted about nearby for ten minutes. As it got dark our attention changed its focus to nocturnal species, and it was not long before we had superb views of Mottled Wood Owl, and half an hour later, of an Indian Scops Owl perched close by at eye level. Returning to our accommodation in the forest, we found an Indian Giant Flying Squirrel feeding in nearby

trees, one of the most beautifully patterned of Asia’s many flying squirrel species. The last day of our trip was upon us, but not the last new birds of the trip. We still had the morning to bird at Melghat so we headed off early to a different part of the reserve. This area produced several new species for

everyone, including a couple of Malabar Whistling Thrushes, Jerdon’s Leafbirds and Tawny-breasted Babblers.

For the next five hours or so we drove along various roads along a complicated route towards our final night, in the bustling town of Indore. During the drive we stopped at several rivers to see what we could find, and at one such place, where tens of people were bathing and wandering all over the mostly dry river bed, Jonas unexpectedly found us a male Greater Painted Snipe, which proved to be a very popular bird on which to end

what had been a wonderful trip to one of the most popular birding destinations in India.

Birds of the Trip

1. Indian Bustard 2. Forest Owlet

3. Hypocolius 4. White-naped Tit 5. Mottled Owl and Spotted Creeper

Systematic List

ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae Greylag Goose Anser anser

Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea Comb Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos Cotton Pygmy Goose Nettapus coromandelianus Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope Gadwall Anas strepera Eurasian Teal Anas crecca Indian Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha Northern Pintail Anas acuta Garganey Anas querquedula Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina Ferruginous Pochard Aythya nyroca Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula

GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae

Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus Common Quail Coturnix coturnix Rock Bush Quail Perdicula argonodah meinertzhageni Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus

PODICIPEDIFORMES: Podicipedidae

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

PELECANIFORMES: Pelecanidae

Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus

PELECANIFORMES: Phalacrocoracidae

Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo

CICONIIFORMES: Ardeidae

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Eastern Great Egret Ardea [alba] modesta Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia Little Egret Egretta garzetta Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

CICONIIFORMES: Ciconiidae

Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans Black Stork Ciconia nigra Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus

CICONIIFORMES: Threskiornithidae

Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus Red-naped Ibis Pseudibis papillosa Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia

PHOENICOPTERIFORMES: Phoenicopteridae

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor

FALCONIFORMES: Accipitridae

Osprey Pandion haliaetus Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus Black Kite Milvus migrans govinda Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis Indian Vulture Gyps indicus Eurasian Griffon Gyps fulvus Monk Vulture Aegypius monachus Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus Shikra Accipiter badius dussumieri

Accipiter badius cenchroides

Besra Accipiter virgatus Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus nisosimilis White-eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata Booted Eagle Aquila pennata Crested Hawk Eagle Nisaetus cirrhatus

GRUIFORMES: Turnicidae

Small Buttonquail Turnix sylvaticus

GRUIFORMES: Gruidae

Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo Common Crane Grus grus

GRUIFORMES: Rallidae

White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus Grey-headed Swamphen Porphyrio [porphyrio] poliocephalus Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Eurasian Coot Fulica atra

GRUIFORMES: Otididae

Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps Macqueen's Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii

CHARADRIIFORMES: Jacanidae

Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus

CHARADRIIFORMES: Recurvirostridae

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta

CHARADRIIFORMES: Haematopodidae

Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus

CHARADRIIFORMES: Burhinidae

Indian Thick-knee Burhinus bengalensis Great Thick-knee Burhinus recurvirostris

CHARADRIIFORMES: Glareolidae

Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor Indian Courser Cursorius coromandelicus Small Pratincole Glareola lactea

CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae

Yellow-wattled Lapwing Vanellus malabaricus Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius curonicus

Charadrius dubius jerdoni

Kentish Plover Charadrius a. alexandrinus Lesser Sandplover Charadrius mongolus Greater Sandplover Charadrius leschenaultii

CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae

Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago 'Western' Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa Eurasian Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Common Redshank Tringa totanus Little Stint Eueunetes minuta Temminck's Stint Eueunetes temminckii Dunlin Eueunetes alpina Curlew Sandpiper Eueunetes ferruginea Sanderling Eueunetes alba Ruff Philomachus pugnax

CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae

Steppe Gull Larus [cachinnans] barabensis Heuglin's Gull Larus heuglini Pallas's Gull Larus ichtyaetus Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus Slender-billed Gull Larus genei

CHARADRIIFORMES: Sternidae

Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis Little Tern Sterna albifrons albifrons

PTEROCLIFORMES: Pteroclidae

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles exustus Painted Sandgrouse Pterocles indicus

COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae

Rock Dove Columba livia intermedia Yellow-eyed Pigeon Columba eversmanni Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis meena Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Red Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis Yellow-footed Green Pigeon Treron phoenicopterus chlorigaster

CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae

Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus Sirkeer Malkoha Phaenicophaeus leschenaultii Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis parroti

STRIGIFORMES: Tytonidae

Barn Owl Tyto alba stertens

STRIGIFORMES: Strigidae

Indian Scops Owl Otus bakkamoena Pallid Scops Owl Otus brucei Indian Eagle Owl Bubo bengalensis Mottled Wood Owl Strix ocellata Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti Jungle Owlet Glaucidium radiatum Spotted Owlet Athene brama indica Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus

CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Caprimulgidae

Sykes's Nightjar Caprimulgus mahrattensis Indian Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus

APODIFORMES: Hemiprocnidae

Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata

APODIFORMES: Apodidae

Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba House Swift Apus nipalensis

CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae

Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis

CORACIIFORMES: Meropidae

Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis orientalis

Merops orientalis beludschicus

CORACIIFORMES: Coraciidae

Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis

CORACIIFORMES: Upupidae

Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops epops

Upupa epops ceylonensis

CORACIIFORMES: Bucerotidae

Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris

PICIFORMES: Capitonidae

Brown-headed Barbet Megalaima zeylanica Heard only

Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala

PICIFORMES: Picidae Indian Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos nanus

Yellow-fronted Woodpecker Dendrocopos mahrattensis Black-rumped Flameback Dinopium benghalense

FALCONIFORMES: Falconidae

Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Red-necked Falcon Falco chicquera Laggar Falcon Falco jugger Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus calidus

PSITTACIFORMES: Psittacidae

Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala

PASSERIFORMES: Tephrodornithidae

Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus

PASSERIFORMES: Aegithinidae

Common Iora Aegithina tiphia Marshall's Iora Aegithina nigrolutea

PASSERIFORMES: Campephagidae

Small Minivet Pericrocotus c. cinnamomeus White-bellied Minivet Pericrocotus erythropygius

PASSERIFORMES: Laniidae

Xinjiang Shrike Lanius [isabellinus] arenarius Bay-backed Shrike Lanius vittatus Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach erythronotus Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis lahtora

PASSERIFORMES: Oriolidae

Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus maderaspatanus

PASSERIFORMES: Dicruridae

Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus longicaudatus White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus rangoonensis

PASSERIFORMES: Rhipiduridae

White-spotted Fantail Rhipidura albogularis White-browed Fantail Rhipidura aureola

PASSERIFORMES: Monarchidae

Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea Asian Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi paradisi

PASSERIFORMES: Corvidae

Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda House Crow Corvus splendens Indian Jungle Crow Corvus culminatus 'Punjab' Raven Corvus [corax] subcorax

PASSERIFORMES: Hypocoliidae

Hypocolius Hypocolius ampelinus

PASSERIFORMES: Stenostiridae

Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis

PASSERIFORMES: Paridae

White-naped Tit Parus nuchalis

Grey Tit Parus cinereus Indian Yellow Tit Parus aplonotus

PASSERIFORMES: Alaudidae

Indian Bushlark Mirafra erythroptera Black-crowned Finch-Lark Eremopterix nigriceps Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark Eremopterix griseus Rufous-tailed Lark Ammomanes phoenicura Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti Bimaculated Lark Melanocorypha bimaculata Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla dukhunensis Crested Lark Galerida cristata chendoola Sykes's Lark Galerida deva Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula

PASSERIFORMES: Pycnonotidae

White-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus leucotis Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer

PASSERIFORMES: Hirundinidae

Grey-throated Sand Martin Riparia chinensis Dusky Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne concolor Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica rufula Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii

PASSERIFORMES: Phylloscopidae

Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus [collybita] tristis Tickell's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis Sulphur-bellied Warbler Phylloscopus griseolus Brooks' Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus subviridis Hume's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei humei Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides viridanus

PASSERIFORMES: Acrocephalidae

Indian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus [stentoreus] brunnescens Heard only

Sykes's Warbler Iduna rama

PASSERIFORMES: Cisticolidae

Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis cursitans Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius Rufous-fronted Prinia Prinia buchanani Grey-breasted Prinia Prinia hodgsonii hodgsonii Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis lepida Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis socialis Plain Prinia Prinia inornata inornata

PASSERIFORMES: Timaliidae

Puff-throated Babbler Pellorneum ruficeps Indian Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus horsfieldii Heard only

Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense Tawny-bellied Babbler Dumetia hyperythra hyperythra Common Babbler Turdoides caudata caudata Large Grey Babbler Turdoides malcolmi Jungle Babbler Turdoides striata orientalis

Turdoides striata summervillei

Brown-cheeked Fulvetta Alcippe poioicephala brucei

PASSERIFORMES: Sylviidae

Eastern Orphean Warbler Sylvia crassirostris Asian Desert Warbler Sylvia nana Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca halimodendri Desert Whitethroat Sylvia [curruca] minula

PASSERIFORMES: Zosteropidae

Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus

PASSERIFORMES: Sittidae

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis

PASSERIFORMES: Certhiidae

Spotted Creeper Salpornis spilonotus

PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae

Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus Bank Myna Acridotheres ginginianus Common Myna Acridotheres tristis Asian Pied Starling Gracupica contra Brahminy Starling Temenuchus pagodarum Rosy Starling Pastor roseus Eurasian Starling Sturnus vulgaris

PASSERIFORMES: Muscicapidae

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius Malabar Whistling Thrush Myophonus horsfieldii Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla Ultramarine Flycatcher Ficedula superciliaris Tickell's Blue Flycatcher Cyornis [tickelliae] tickelliae Bluethroat Luscinia svecica pallidogularis

Luscinia svecica

Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis Indian Black Robin Saxicoloides fulicatus Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros rufiventris

Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides

Stoliczka's Bushchat Saxicola macrorhynchus Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus indicus Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata Variable Wheatear Oenanthe picata picata

Oenanthe picata capistrata

Red-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe chrysopygia Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti deserti Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina Brown Rock-chat Cercomela fusca

PASSERIFORMES: Chloropseidae

Jerdon's Leafbird Chloropsis jerdoni

PASSERIFORMES: Nectariniidae

Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus

PASSERIFORMES: Passeridae

House Sparrow Passer domesticus Sind Sparrow Passer pyrrhonotus Yellow-throated Petronia Petronia xanthocollis

PASSERIFORMES: Ploceidae

Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus philippinus

PASSERIFORMES: Estrildidae

Red Avadavat Amandava amandava Green Avadavat Amandava formosa Indian Silverbill Euodice malabarica

PASSERIFORMES: Motacillidae

Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis jerdoni Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris griseus Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni yunnanensis Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis haringtoni White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba

Motacilla alba personata

White-browed Wagtail Motacilla madaraspatensis Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava thunbergi

Motacilla flava beema

Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola citreola Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea

PASSERIFORMES: Fringillidae

Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus roseatus

PASSERIFORMES: Emberizidae

Crested Bunting Melophus lathami Grey-necked Bunting Emberiza buchanani White-capped Bunting Emberiza stewarti Striolated Bunting Emberiza striolata

MAMMALS Northern Plains Grey Langur Semnopithecus entellus

Rhesus Macaque Macaca mulatta Indian Giant Flying Squirrel Petaurista philippensis Heard only

Northern Palm Squirrel Funambulus pennanti Southern Palm Squirrel Funambulus palmarum Indian Desert Jird Meriones hurrianae Indian Hare Lepus nigricollis Indian Flying Fox Pteropus giganteus Jungle Cat Felis chaus 'Desert' Wild Cat Felis silvestris Small Indian Civet Viverricula indica Indian Grey Mongoose Herpestes edwardsi Desert (Red) Fox Vulpes vulpus pusilla Indian Fox Vulpes bengalensis Indian Wild Ass Equus hemionus Eurasian Wild Pig Sus scrofa Blackbuck Antilope cervicapra Indian Gazelle Gazella bennettii Nilgai Boselaphus tragocamelus Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin Sousa chinensis

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